Well That Explains A Lot
by Leesy Metallium
Summary: Remus Lupin is tired. When one is tired, one makes mistakes. Sirius Black is Sirius Black. When one is Sirius Black, one is highly oblivious and makes huge blundering errors. In amongst all this, Fred and George Weasley might finally meet their idols.


A/N: This was just a little idea that's been buzzing around my head for a while and wouldn't leave me alone. It doesn't really take place at any particular time...But Lupin is still the DADA teacher, Harry etc. know Sirius is innocent and is on the run and Fred and George still have the Marauders Map. Hope you enjoy!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Remus Lupin shuffled down the corridor, dragging his tired feet along with his tired body. Being a werewolf around full moon was really, as Sirius once put it, one big bloody downer. He yawned, opening the door to his room with a click, before the distinct sound of teenage voices reached his ears. He was sure that we wouldn't have been able to hear them without his sensitive lupine hearing. As it was rather late and all students should be well and truly asleep by now, he figured that it was his professorly duty to tell them off. And anyway, if they couldn't sneak out without getting caught, they didn't deserve to sneak out at all! With both his Maraudish and Professional anxieties put to rest, he turned with a sigh and silently approached where he could hear the voices.

As it turned out, the voices belonged to none other than Fred and George Weasley, which surprised Remus as he knew of their antics well and thought them better than to be making a ruckus at this time of night and risk being caught. They were in an old arithmancy classroom, Remus' own old arithmancy classroom actually, and from the sounds of it they were involved in a heated discussion about something.

"But we have to pass it on to _someone_!"

"Yes, I know that, but we still have a few years left."

"And we already know the entire thing off by heart, so why not create an apprentice of sorts?"

"Well...who?" There was a pause in the conversation and Remus decided to announce his presence. He opened the door, making it creak on its hinges.

"Professor Lupin!" both boys exclaimed, eyes wide.  
  
"I thought you said there was no one anywhere near here!"

"Well there wasn't! Before..."  
  
"Listen boys," Remus rubbed his eyes and yawned before continuing, "you know you shouldn't be out after dark. I'm going to have to-" but he never said what he was going to have to do as his eyes landed on a piece of parchment lying on the desk next to the twins. His mouth opened slightly, but no sound came out. He saw the intricate lines, weaving like a spiders web, he saw the small ink dots named 'Fredrick Weasley' 'George Weasley and 'Remus Lupin', but above all he saw the title:  
  
_Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs  
Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers  
are proud to present  
THE MARAUDER'S MAP_  
  
It took the twins a second to realise what their Professor was staring at, but by the time they had realised, it was too late. Remus had already scooped up the parchment, muttered a "Follow me." and swept out of the room. The twins looked desperately at each other, before trotting helplessly after their professor. Soon they arrived at a door unknown to the two Weasley children.  
  
"Sir, this isn't your office..." Fred pointed out uncertainly.

"Yes Mr. Weasley, these are my personal quarters. Unless you would like to walk halfway across the castle to reach my office, I would like to think that this will do."  
  
The room was quite small, seeming to possess only the bare essentials. A four poster bed in one corner of the room, a small fireplace with a cozy looking chair nearby and a work desk which was currently covered in papers and a few potion bottles. A door across from the entrance entered into the bathroom and that was it. It was simple and Remus liked it that way. He muttered a spell under his breath and two wooden chair appeared.

"Sit." he said and the boys obliged nervously. They had never been in a teachers quarters before. Remus placed the parchment face up on the table and ran a hand through his greying hair. In the flickering firelight, he appeared a lot older and more worn than Fred and George had ever noticed before. They shifted nervously in their seats as their Professor began to pace nervously across the hearth of the room.  
  
"Professor..." George began nervously, but was startled when Remus Lupin jumped at the sound. He turned back to face them.

"Boys, where did you get this map?" he asked quietly, after a short pause.

"We...er...found it." Fred said lamely, causing his brother to whack him lightly.

"Please don't lie to me Mr. Weasley." Remus said in such a tired voice that the two felt quite a bit of sympathy for him.

"We nicked it from Filch." George said finally, "In first year." Fred frowned but didn't say anything. Remus sighed and resumed pacing. As he turned, his eyes glanced across the map on which he could see himself weaving moodily across. He frowned and muttered "Mischief managed.", tapping it with his wand. Fred and George looked at each other, eyes wide.  
  
"Professor...how do you know how to work it?" George asked incredulously.

"What?" Professor Lupin glanced at the two in confusion, before looking back at the map, his mouth opening very slightly. "Oh. I don't...I mean..." he glared at the two, something that made the two jump a bit, before groaning in frustration, clamping one hand over his eyes. "I didn't mean to do that..." he muttered, silently cursing himself for his mistake. "Listen boys, it doesn't matter how I know how to work it, but I'll make you a deal. You don't mention this again and I'll confiscate it and let you off without detention."

"But Professor!"

"You're in no position to argue with me Mr. Weasley. Walking around with something as potentially dangerous as this...I don't know what you were thinking..." Remus muttered, feeling slightly guilty for telling them off about something he once did on a regular basis. They glanced at each other.  
  
"Yes Sir." they both said resignedly.  
  
"Right, now get along to bed both of you." Professor Lupin turned to the door and was about to open it when he heard a small pop. He was about to turn to see what it was before he heard those dreaded words.  
  
"A-hoy-hoy Remmie!" Remus Lupin froze. He knew that voice. He knew it all too well. "Remus? You there?" Lupin turned around and his fears were confirmed. Sirius Black's face floated in his fire, grinning like an idiot. And their were two students in the room. Two students who probably still thought Sirius was a mass murdered.  
  
"Sirius Black!!" Fred and George exclaimed, scooting back a bit on their chairs.  
  
"Huh? Who's there?"

"Sirius," Remus began in a strained voice, "I think you should know that I currently have two students with me."

"Wha...oh." Sirius said as he realised what that meant.  
  
"Oh indeed."

"I'll just be leaving then-"  
  
"Oh no you don't! You come over here right now and help me sort this out!" Lupin growled. Sirius winced, there was no arguing with him when he was like this.  
  
"Right you are Professor Moony." and, with another small pop, Sirius appeared in the flesh. "Hey, aren't you two Ron's brothers?" he asked, but was silenced by a glare from his friend. Fred and George stared at them incredulously. Remus noticed their shocked looks.  
  
"Listen, I know you two probably think that Sirius here is a...bad guy..." he said biting his lip. Sirius simply burst out laughing.  
  
"Bad guy, Remus? Bad guy?!"  
  
"...Shut up Padfoot." Lupin muttered, yawning and blinking a few times. "Anyway..."

"We don't think you're guilty of anything Mr. Black." Fred said suddenly.

"Yeah, Ron and Harry they told us about you." George added earnestly. Remus blinked and Sirius grinned.  
  
"Well good on those boys then! See Moony? Nothing to worry about!" he slapped his old friend on the back. "Well, if I'm not needed for anything else..."

"Wait!" Fred and George yelled, startling the older two.  
  
"We were wondering..."

"Are you really..."  
  
"Moony and Padfoot?"

"...Huh?" Sirius stared at them. Remus' eyes widened in realisation.  
  
"No! No of course not! We err..."

"Hey Moony, it's our old map! Where'd you find it?" Sirius had made his way over to the table and was looking over the now black piece of parchment.  
  
"No...that's not ours...it's eh..."

"Of course it is, I'd recognise it anywhere!" Sirius picked up Remus' wand off the table. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Ink lines began to weave their way across the page, the title embellished strongly at the top. "This is great! Where was..." he trailed off at the mortified look that had planted itself on Remus Lupins face. "...What?"  
  
"...You _always_ do this don't you?!"  
  
"Huh?!" Sirius still didn't know what he had done wrong.

"If you _must_ know, those two had the map! If you _must_ know, they've been using it for the past five years! So you _must_ now realise that now two of the most mischievous students in the whole school know that I helped write that! Hell, they may as well know that I came up with the idea and worked out how to do it too!" Remus finished ranting and took a breather. Sirius gaped.  
  
"Really Professor?! That's amazing!" Fred exclaimed.  
  
"Hey! You did _not_ come up with the idea! That was a completely joint effort!" Sirius complained.

"I just let you guys think that." Remus shot his friend a dirty glare.  
  
"Why you..."

"Professor Lupin, we'll never ever mess up in your class ever ever again!" George said promised. "And we swear to preach the good name of Sirius Black to all who will listen."

"And all who wont as well." Fred added. Remus stared at them uncertainly for a moment.  
  
"Uhh...thankyou." he blinked tiredly, not knowing what else to say.  
  
"Moony, mate, are you alright? You seem even more stressed than usual. Have you taken your Wolfsbane Potion?" Sirius asked, concern in his voice. Remus opened his mouth to answer, before seeing the surprised look on both Fred and George's faces.  
  
"...You're a werewolf, Professor?" Sirius gulped.  
  
"Sirius Black. Out. Now." Remus growled, his eyes practically glowing.

"Yes Sir." Sirius whimpered, practically running through the fireplace. It was a wonder that he managed to throw the floo powder in in time. Remus sat and seethed.  
  
"Err...Professor Lupin..." Fred shifted nervously in his seat. It wasn't often the mild-mannered man got mad about anything and it was rather frightening. "We aren't...worried about it you know..."

"You being a werewolf that is. It's kind of cool."  
  
"You aren't serious, are you?" Remus gave them a speculating look.  
  
"Of course we are."

"We'd never lie one of the famous Marauders!"  
  
"Famous eh?" he gave them a crooked smile. "I suppose I'll have to trust that you won't tell anyone?"

"Not a soul." they said together.  
  
"This is a very serious matter. If word were to get around about my condition I would probably be fired." Remus said soberly.

"In that case we wont ever speak of it again."  
  
"But anyway, now we understand why you don't fall for any of our pranks."  
  
"Imagine, an almighty Marauder right under our nose and we never even noticed..."  
  
"Hey, if you're Moony and Sirius Black is Padfoot," Fred began after a short pause.

"Who are Wormtail and Prongs?" George finished. Remus gave them a long hard look, trying not to betray his feelings. He considered lying to them, making something up, but decided against it. He owed them for promising not to tell about his condition.  
  
"Th-they were our very good friends. Peter Pettigrew and James Potter." This caused a small gasp from the twins.  
  
"Oh...we're sorry..."  
  
"We shouldn't have asked..."  
  
"No no, you weren't to know. Now run along, you have my class first up tomorrow and I don't expect you to be late."  
  
"Yes sir." they chimed as he walked them to the door. Just as they were about to leave, he turned back to his desk and grabbed the map, handing it to them.

"Professor, we really shouldn't-"

"It is really yours after all-" Remus hushed them with a look.  
  
"Think of it as a thank you gift." he said quietly. "But don't let me or any other teacher catch you with it again."

"Of course not sir." they grinned, holding the map between them.  
  
"Goodnight boys."

"Goodnight Professor Moony." Remus opened his mouth to say something about this, but decided against it. He simply smiled, shook his head, and shut the door behind him.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Review pretty pretty please! (with sugar on top and cherries and maple syrup...who knew please could sound so yummy? O.o)


End file.
